


A bond to last forever one-shots

by navvy



Series: Utúlie´n aure! Aiya Eldalie ar Atanatári, utúlie´n aure [4]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Genderswap, Jealousy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2020-12-24 01:16:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21090974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navvy/pseuds/navvy
Summary: Arya and Gil-galad lives together. This is a continuation of "A bond to last forever", with small scenes of their lives.Chapter 1 - 3. The sting of jealousyArya and Gil-galad are soul mates, predestined to be together and happy, or are they? Arya is starting to doubt, she is starting to believe that she would prefer to be back with the BarlogChapter 4. Here at last, at the shores of the SeaArya arrives back home. It's not the welcome she expected or hoped for. Gil-galad tries to knock some heads together when he discovers someone trying to turn his bonded away.Chapter 5. There were once a fisherelf...There were a fisherelf, and he met a blonde goddess, never being the same again.





	1. The sting of jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a series of one-shots, in different situations, from the previous story universe. Some will happen after "A bond to last forever", like this first one, some at different times of their lives. A few can be related between them. This first one, for example, will have several parts. I will try to make it clear, where the story is situated.  
Arya is here a late sixteen, early seventeen. She is physically mature, and mentally as old as her fëa/soul because she is reborn, so millennial old. Gil-galad is being conservative here.

"What are you doing?" - asked the King to his younger mate. Arya didn't bother to turn around and kept reading her horse. She didn't like to put as many tacks on her horse, as mortals did, but she normally used a small saddle, to hold extra things like emergency food and water, and a small leash for a better grip. She finished her preparations and started to lead her horse out of his stall, ignoring the looming figure of the King.

Gil-galad, however, was not so easily ignored and followed her outside the stall, putting his hand on the horse's saddle to prevent her from mounting it. 

"Don't ignore me Arya, I asked you a question. What are you doing? It's almost the sunset, you can't be thinking of leaving the palace at this hour. I couldn't believe Rehtaro when he said you had been seen at the stables, preparing a horse." - said Gil-galad irritated. He wasn't used to his mate behaving like this, and it had caught him wrong-footed. Arya stare froze him in place, he had never seen her looking this enraged. Not even when she had been fighting orcs.

"If you think, for a minute, that I'm going to stay _again_, in my rooms, to feel you seduce and bed that elleth you have spent all day sniffing after... and then have to see her tomorrow at breakfast, you are clearly starting to go mad. I'm leaving for somewhere else, _anywhere_ as far away as I can reach, and see if I can _stop feeling you!_"- the last part was almost a scream, and many of the stable's staff looked at them and away. Gil-galad was stunned, and had gone pale at her words. Arya seemed flustered, and took the opportunity, with the King paralyzed by the surprise, so shocked that he had taken several steps away from her, to mount her horse and gallop away. 

Gil-galad seemed to unfroze at this, no matter how surprised, pained and ashamed he was, he couldn't allow her to come to harm. He called for a horse of his own, running back towards the stables. Elrond intercepted him on his way, having been warned of something happening by a helpful waiting staff.

"Ereinion! What is happening? The palace's staff is saying that you have chased Arya away because you no longer want her as your mate" - asked the perendhil, following the King into the stables. Gil-galad stiffened at this, but continued to the stable. Once inside, one of the grooms was already getting his horse ready. Elrond, seeing as the King wasn't to be delayed, indicated another groom to get a horse for him, and talked to another of the stable's staff to call for two guards to get them ready at once, to come with them.

After a few minutes of chaos, and with the King hovering, impatient to leave, they all galloped away from the palace, trying to find any sign of the elleth. Elrond, having tried to get some answers from his King, without success, insisted now they were on their way.

"Cousin, please, tell me what happened, I can't help you if I don't know what to watch for" - urged the perendhil, appealing to their bond as kin. Gil-galad, looking towards the path, trying to find any sign of the blonde, finally answered.

"Apparently I have been betraying my bonded, and torturing her with my dalliances all this time. And yes Elrond, I know you warned me that with her being reborn, the rules of how the bond would develop could be different than the ones we are used to" - answered the King with a hollow voice. Elrond was speechless at this, as he had indeed suspected, and warned the King, that the bond may leave the physically younger part of the pair, but with an older fëa, more sensible to her bonded actions than it would be the case otherwise. He stayed silent while they kept galloping through the path.

* * *

Having reached the town, Gil-galad went to the guard's entrance, praying that Arya hadn't decided to abandon the path without them noticing it. 

"Guard! Have a blonde elleth entered this town in the last hour" - asked to one of the nervous-looking guards. He nodded his head repeatedly, saying

"Yes, your majesty. A pretty elleth arrived not twenty minutes ago, and went inside. She only said that she wanted to reach the harbour, she is not a criminal, is she Sire?" - asked the guard, nervously. Gil-galad denied with his head, leaving his horse to his own guards, while he took off towards the dock at a run. Elrond dismounted also and, after ordering the guards to keep a watch for Arya's return, went after the King.

Gil-galad reached the dock very quickly and looked around in panic, trying to spot any blonde head. Even with the sun almost vanished from the horizon, the harbour was still full of activity, with sailors unloading their merchandise and even some of the mariners advancing the work of the next morning. Gil-galad wasn't able to find his mate among that crowd. Elrond reached him then, and looked around too, without being able to locate the blond head either. When they had almost lost hope to discover her, and Gil-galad was starting to fear he would need to order a more systematic, and less discrete search, a familiar voice reached his ears.

"You put a hand on me again, and you lose it, sir" - said coolly the Vanya, to a burly man who seemed tempted, against reason, to touch her. Gil-galad understood then the expression 'see red' as he could imagine the blood of that fool on his sword. He went to his mate's side immediately, pushing a few bystanders around until he reached her. Arya threw him a cold look, but returned her attention to the foolish man in front of her. 

"Come on, just a little touch, I have never been with a girl as blonde as you" - insisted the, probably drunk, sailor. When he raised his hand again, this time towards her chest, Gil-galad, who had reached Arya and stood at her back, pulled his sword and settle it at the seaman neck, while with his other arm, drew Arya closer and hold her protectively to his chest. He felt Elrond at his own back, watching for any of the mariner's friends reactions. Arya froze at his nearness, not moving from her place, with Gil-galad behind her, and his arms surrounding her. The drunk sailor, wasn't as drunk as to not recognize a sword at his neck, even if he didn't realise who was the one who wielded it.

"My Lord? Is there a problem? Do you want this little bird too? We can share if you want" - he smiled stupidly at the monarch, not realizing the danger he was. One of his friends, more sober than him and who had realized the identity of the elf, tried to warn him.

"Deron, that's the High King! You need to walk away right now, leave that girl be!" - he said, urgently. The drunkard seemed to realize that he wasn't in a good position, and started to back away with his hands raised.

"Yes, yes, man...Sire... I don't want any troubles, she is all yours" - he seemed to panic so badly, so suddenly, that without anyone able to react, walked off the path into the water. While his friends tried to fish him out of the water, Gil-galad sheathed his sword and surrounding his little mate's shoulders with his arm, pulled her away from the commotion. Arya allowed him to move her a small distance away but, once the troublemakers were out of sight, stepped away from him with a frown. 

"You didn't need to do this, I could have gotten rid of him myself. I didn't want you to follow me. You should go back to the palace, and leave me alone. I don't need, or want, your pity or your guilt" - said the blonde with a frown on her face. Gil-galad faltered at her words, but before he could counter them, Elrond intervened. 

"This is not a conversation you should be having in public. There is an inn nearby, let's go to find some rooms there. We can stay there for tonight." - said the perendhil, looking pointedly to their avid public. Many of the presents, having recognized the King, were eagerly following their discussion. Gil-galad looked around to them and nodded to the half-elf wisdom. Arya sighed too, but agreed to go to the inn.

* * *

Gil-galad watched the Vanya while she looked around the small room, which was, supposedly, the best room on the inn. Gil-galad would loathe to see their worst. Small and narrow, it had a medium-sized bed, two small side-tables, and a suspicious-looking chair next to the window, looking like it would break with any contact, and little more, as nothing else would fit the room. Gil-galad sat at the bed, and Arya stayed straight-backed next to the window, looking outside and avoiding Gil-galad's gaze. 

"Why did you say you didn't want my pity or guilt?" - asked the King, softly. Before he had entered the room, Elrond, who had taken the next room, had hastily asked him to tread softly as this clearly went deeper than it looked. 

"I never, in any of my lives, wanted anyone to feel obligated to be or stay with me. I can't change this bond the Valar gave to us. I looked and looked, but no book I have read said anything about a bond made incorrectly and how to break it, not even death seems to do the trick. Maybe if we were at Aman, we could petition the powers to release us, as Finwë did when he married Indis. But we aren't there, possibly someday. Until then, I can't change it and neither can you, so we are stuck with this. You have clearly reached this conclusion before me, so you have been doing your own thing. But it has become harder and harder for me to feel it in the bond, and I can't stand it any longer. So I need some space, maybe a bit of distance will make it easier to bear. And you need to leave me go, seeing as you don't want me. This doesn't change anything, you should keep with your life, making your own choices and leave me alone. That's why you shouldn't have come." 

Gil-galad was open-mouthed at Arya's words, unable to understand how his senseless actions had been interpreted so badly. He raised from the bed, and went to her side, kneeling at her feet and resting his head on her stomach, Arya looked at him surprised at this unexpected gesture, but before she could ask him what he was doing, he started to talk.

"I have never made so many transgressions to someone so dear to me. To think, that you would believe that I don't want you with every fibre of my being, is a travesty. Worse of all, I was warned of it, but I didn't pay attention to it, because I was selfish. It freezes my blood to think, that you have been looking for ways out of this bond. I have wronged you, I can't deny this. I've been having meaningless affairs because I wanted you, but you were too young. And I didn't want to change my lifestyle. I convinced myself that this bond was like the others, that you were too young to feel what I was doing, despite Elrond's warning of the possibility otherwise. After the first time, when you said nothing, I thought I was right" - Arya stepped back from him, not able to bear the contact at that moment. Gil-galad let her go, following her with his gaze, distressed.

"I was exploring the country with Erestor that first time. Of course I felt it!, and I could barely believe it! But when we went back and the staff looked at me with compassion and that... Rínel with superiority... She searched me out, and said that I shouldn't tie you to me, that you didn't want me, and you two had been together before the bond. I asked around I was told that it was true. Well, then I knew that I had been wrong, that the Valar had made a mistake, that you didn't want this, and I needed to find a way to free us both. In the meantime, I didn't want you to be as miserable as I was, so I say nothing." - Gil-galad's look had gone progressively more ominous, while he planned all kind of retribution to the petty elleth, calling himself all manner of idiot to ever have re-started their affair. Arya continued -" And what about now, even if I was to believe what you say, I am no longer a child in body as I never was in mind, and you still are looking elsewhere..." - Arya seemed to have lost all will to fight and lowered down to the floor, hugging herself and hiding her face in her knees. 

Gil-galad went to her and picked her up in his arms. Sitting at the bed, with his back to the headboard, he settled her in his lap and hugged her securely to his chest. Arya was softly crying and, at that moment, she didn't care that he was the source of her pain, only that he was hugging her and she could bury her face in his chest. Gil-galad heart was breaking while he tried to comfort her, without much success. After a long time, the elleth cried herself to sleep. Gil-galad lowered her to the bed, taking off her boots, and settling her under the covers. He sank over the covers, with his back to the headboard, his gaze unfocused and his mind blank, long into the night, until he too fell asleep.

* * *

With her legs crossed, sitting in the middle of the bed, Arya looked to the food presented to her. After having awaked, feeling like a carriage had run her over, Gil-galad had offered to ask for food, before they resumed their talk. All too willing to accept the delay, Arya acceded, and washed up a bit while they were waiting. Because the room was so small, the only place they had to eat, was actually on top of the bed. A memory of her grandmother, and what she would have to say about that, brought a small smile to her lips. Gil-galad, settled in front of her on the border of the bed, looked relieved to see her smile. Arya supposed that she had given him a good scare. A small side effect that she especially didn't enjoy of recreating her infancy and teenage years was that, despite her grown-up mind, his body was younger, and she was often unable to suppress its natural reactions. So she had been unable to avoid, or control, the sadness which filled her when she started, at least, to talk of what she had been feeling over the last years. 

"So, where do we go from here?. You said you wanted me, but you didn't want to wait for me. Not that I much believe that that's what you feel, if this bond was actually real, you would have been unable to cheat on me, except by someone drugging you, I suppose" - she finally asked, unable to stand the suspense anymore. Gil-galad looked at her pleadingly.

"I don't know why the bond allowed this, but I know how I feel. I love you, I love you and I want you, and I don't want anyone else. I have been blind and I don't deserve a second chance, but you have my word that no one will come between us if you give us this chance"- vowed the King, pleadingly, probably for the first time since he became King. Arya looked away, torn. 

"If I gave you this chance, it will be the last. I don't want to be your jailer, you better be sure of this, because if you have any doubt and do this again, it will be the last one, we will be over. I don't care if I have to sail to Valinor in a barrel, I will, and ask for this bond to be broken." - sentenced the blonde, seriously. Gil-galad nodded immediately.

"I am sure. You will have no reason to doubt this" - reiterated the monarch. Arya nodded at least and went back to the food, without further questions. Gil-galad, obediently focused on his own plate.


	2. The sting of jealousy Part 2. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gil-galad had been foolish, now he need to make up for it with her mate. Will they be able to reach an agreement?

Gil-galad looked sideways to his mate, while they reached the palace's courtyard. After they had finished their dinner, Arya had gone back to sleep and he had taken his place next to her, over the covers. At the morning, he had gone to the next room to talk to Elrond, and sent him back to the palace with instructions. Orders the half-elf had been only too happy to obey, as he was truly fond of the reborn Vanya, and had been angered by the elleths throwing themselves to the High King, even more when he took them up their offers. Even without knowing that Arya could feel it through the bond, the perendhil was more aware than the King of the position this situation put the young Vanya. Bonded to the King, but without any official position in the Court, the King's actions had stirred many problems. Elrond had been happy to detail them to the Monarch, before he left for the Palace, leaving him to broodingly go back to Arya. 

Gil-galad was now musing on ways to improve Arya's situation and, hopefully, make amends with her. Dismounting his horse, he went to his mate's side to help her. Arya looked at him surprised but allowed him the courtesy. He put his hands around her waist, and hoist her from the saddle to the ground. Once there, he looked down to her, keeping his arms around her slim figure. Gazing at her now, with clearer eyes, he noticed that she was fully grown, and he was surprised that he hadn't noticed before. So focused he had been in not to take advantage of her, that he had overlooked her finally growing up. He reached with his hand cautiously to her chin and tilted her face up to him. Arya looked at him, uncertain, but willingly allowed the movement. 

That left her in the perfect position for him to lower his own face and kiss her. The small touch started chaste, but quickly became more, while he crushed her body to his, and Arya surrounded his neck with her arms, going to the balls of her feet to reach him better. Gil-galad couldn't believe that he had been able to wait so long for this, but now he had her in his arms, he didn't want to leave her go. 

After a few minutes he needed to release her, as they were in a very public and crowded courtyard. Already the grooms were waiting to take their horses, and his Seneschal was hovering near. Gil-galad touched his forehead to her, not wanting to lose contact:

"I need to go to my duties, but I don't want to let go of you. I know it's not the most scintillating of works, but will you stay with me today?" -asked the King, giving her his best pitiful look. Arya smiled amused and charmed by this caring attitude.

"I don't want to leave you go either. I will stay with you, we can spend the day together and tonight we will talk again?" - asked the Vanya, hopefully. Gil-gala nodded his assent, and lead her inside the Palace.

* * *

"What is this?" - asked the blonde surprised, looking around the King's suite of rooms, where he had insisted to take her. 

After a whole day of audiences, where Arya had stayed at a small chair next to the King, they had returned to their rooms to change. They had entered the anteroom, and followed towards the bedroom adjacent to the King's own. It was a beautiful room, as big as the King's, decorated in warm colours and solid furniture. And, Arya realized, it had her own things scattered around. She took a look around to see the book she had left on her side table, and her jewellery box. She went then to the wardrobe and opened it, finding all her clothes placed there. She looked back to the King, who had entered behind her but stayed at the threshold. He was uncertain of her reaction to this movement he had asked Elrond to prepare, while he distracted her from returning to her rooms.

"I should be angry about this, it was a big presumption you did here" - declared the Vanya, although her smile betrayed her true feelings. Gil-galad went to her, and took her hand, kissing it apologetically.

"It's just what I should have done long ago, as my bonded this is your rightful place, it doesn't oblige you to anything. But I don't want any more misunderstanding from you or anyone else. Should you want to move elsewhere, you can, of course, but this room will always be yours and available to you" - sentenced the King. Arya nodded to this, even if her pride made her want to take a stance and stay away from her bonded, she couldn't actually make herself to do it. She nodded to the King, and after doubting for a moment, drew closer to him and kissed him softly in the corner of his mouth. The contact was brief and tender, and Arya went back to look around the room without giving Gil-galad the chance to react. 

The dark-haired monarch felt a small warmth grow in his chest at this action, and a silly smile broke in his face. He went to point out to his mate all the details and nooks the room had, as he was trying to sell it out to her. Arya was happy to hear about them, already feeling more at home at that place that the room she had occupied for years. To know that he was only a wall away was making the bond thrum in her mind, in both of their minds really. It had been difficult over the last few years, to keep their distance. Gil-galad realized now that some of his irrational actions, short temper at some of his meetings, aggressive movements while training and so on, had been fuelled by this strange sensation which had been growing unnoticed. It was its absence now, which made it so obvious. Now, the feeling of happiness he felt only from being near to Arya, was something he couldn't get enough. The two of them wandered the room, while Arya moved things to her taste, and Gil-galad obediently followed her orders, moving some chairs around nearer to the fireplace, while she reordered the wardrobe.

* * *

"What is she doing here?" - asked Elrond to Gil-galad. The King looked grimly to the elleth approaching his throne, and answered the perendhil, who was standing behind him as his councillor, this evening. 

"I suppose we will figure it out soon enough. She has committed no crime, and has the right to seek an audience with me" - answered the King darkly, aware that this was his own folly consequence. The dark-haired elleth stopped in front of the throne and bowed to the monarch as it was the elven custom. She threw then an intimate smile to the King, that faltered at his dark look.

"Your Majesty, I am sorry for dropping in unannounced, by my father was coming to see you, and I wished to accompany him." - said the brunette, coyly. Gil-galad looked around pointedly and asked.

"Your father, my lady? And where is him now?" - asked the King, ignoring her implication. Rínel looked taken aback by his cold demeanour, but answered.

"He is talking with your Captain, Sire. We found signs of many orcs in our way here, and he wanted to pursue them, but we were too few, and he didn't want to risk me. Here he is now" - said the elleth, relieved when her father entered the audience room. The conversation wasn't going as she had expected when she rushed ahead to try to talk to the King, without her father's presence. He didn't approve of her relationship with the Monarch, as he was aware of his bond to the Vanya, and deeply respectful of it. However, his daughter was ambitious, and even if she didn't particularly felt attracted to the King, who she found plain and a bit harsh looking, she found his crown a feature which made up for everything else. She didn't believe in any mystical bonds, or felt that she should respect them, as Gil-galad didn't seem too bothered by it, despite of having allowed the young blonde to live in the castle, she felt she had a chance.

"Lord Belton, welcome to my Court. It has been too long since you have come here" - said the King, warmly. This elf was a long-time friend of his, and had been a loyal subject to him, and his father before. He now felt ashamed by his actions with Rínel, aware that they were probably the reason the older elf had stayed away. The tall elf was a classical Noldor, with black hair and grey eyes. He was one of his better Generals, and he had taken charge of one of his borderlands, to protect them. The elf went to his daughter side and bowed to his Monarch.

"Your Majesty. I'm glad to be here again in your presence. I'm sorry my duties at the frontier have kept me away. I'm happy to see you healthy and the Realm prospering" - said the other elf courteously. He pointedly looked around the room and asked. - "Where is your bonded my lord? I enjoyed her presence last time I came here". Gil-galad looked surprised at this, and ashamed again to realize he hadn't paid attention to Arya's actions last time Belton was there, because he was distracted by his daughter. 

"Arya is at the War Room, we have been trying to make some sense of the orcs movements. Your daughter said you found signs of an important number on your way here?" - asked the King. 

"An important force yes, we noticed signs of at least thirty or more orcs. We would have liked to follow them, and slew them, but I couldn't risk it as few as we were, and with Rínel with us" - said the General. And added - "I would like to meet Lady Arya again and participate in this meeting". Gil-galad nodded to this.

"I was about to join them when we received word of your coming. If you wish, you can come with me while your companions go to settle themselves at the rooms assigned to you" - offered the King. Rínel intervened at that moment.

"Please, Atto, I would like to come also, it would be interesting to see" - pleaded the elleth, not wanting to lose sight of the King. The General looked uncomfortable to the Monarch, having felt, even if his daughter seemed oblivious, that things had changed since the last time they had been there.

"Rínel, please. You have little interest in troop movements, or the orcs. What would you do in a meeting like that? It's the King's prerogative to invite you, nor mine anyway" - said the older elf, uncomfortable. Gil-galad was starting to feel more irritated than ashamed with the situation, as he didn't want the brunette anywhere close to Arya, or any hint of suggestion than he was still interested in her. Elrond talked then

"The meeting is a closed one anyway, troops movements and plans of attack are being argued there, and only the King's councillors, generals and commanders can assist" - said the perendhil. Rínel looked to the half-elf with barely hidden disgust as she had always found him an obstacle in her way. Even before Arya's appearance, his position as the King presumed heir, helped the Monarch to delay any pressure to marry.

"And then, what is Arya doing there?" - asked the elleth, rudely. Gil-galad was looking enraged.

"My bonded _Lady Arya_ is, by default, a member of my council. If nothing else, because her bond to me makes any long term secret, pointless" - said the King

"I didn't realize that she was that aware of you" - said the brunette guardedly.

"Neither did I. It has been a recent discovery. The bond has progressed very fast, with Arya special circumstances" - said the King pointedly.

"You said that as I was some stray you have adopted" - said a voice from behind. The group turned around surprised, Arya had come out from the War Room, to look for the King and Elrond, as the discussion had reached a point that needed the King's decision to continue.

* * *

Gil-galad went to her side immediately, and took her hand in his, kissing it and setting it in his arm. Arya allowed the movement, aware that her bonded was making an effort not to allow any doubt, or hint of improperly, to occur again. She very much appreciated it, and it wasn't in her nature to search for vengeance once the matter was settled. So she went willingly to his side with a smile, and kissed his lips chastely, sending her love and trust through the bond. Gil-galad smiled at her. Arya looked to the others, from her safe place at her bonded side and smiled to the older elf.

"Lord Belton, it's a pleasure to see you again. I hope things at the frontier are not keeping you too busy?" - asked the blonde warmly. Despite her personal problems with the elf's daughter, she found the General clever, brave and noble, and enjoyed his visits to the Court. She couldn't understand how he could have such a shallow child.

"My Lady, it's good to see you looking this good. I'm glad your bond is getting stronger now, is this a signal that we will have good news to celebrate soon?" - asked the General hopefully. He felt that with an official betrothal, maybe his daughter would renounce to her doomed aspirations. Rínel, however, wasn't ready for this little elleth (to her eyes) to steal her from her ambitions.

"Arya, so what make you capable of talking in a war council? What's the experience you have at war? How many orcs have you killed?" - fired the brunette trying to show her up. Arya looked at her coolly, remembering her cruel and shallow attitude on previous meetings, when she felt she had the upper hand. She wondered if she could shut her up with the truth, but actually, her question allow her to say something she had kept untold for a long time:

"I don't know if I can claim a successful experience at war. I have fought on some of the worse catastrophes of elven kind. I led a command at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and we ended retreating to Gondolin after it, and never left again until the end. I was lord of one of the City houses, and participate in the defence of the City, and fight at its fall, against Morgoth's demons. I fought and killed many of them, but ended dying at the hands of one. I suppose that I have experience in hopeless situations, and know how the enemy thinks" - concluded the blonde, in the abrupt silence which had been made. Gil-galad and Elrond were looking at her amazed, as the description she had made had ran bells in their heads. Particularly the King, that with his bond to the Vanya had been able to see some of the scenes she had narrated. The one of her death, had made clear who she had been in her previous life. 

"Glorfindel, Glorfindel of Gondolin." - said the King, softly. Arya nodded her head, and decided to go for the whole truth, now she had the chance.

"My mother was Lalwen, second daughter to King Finwë and Queen Indis, and my father was Glawar, grandson of King Ingwë. So we are related to each other. Findekáno was my cousin" - said the blonde, finally relieved of her secrets. She hadn't meant to keep them so long, at the start she hadn't remembered much of her previous life, and what she remembered was unclear and confusing. And after, with Gil's affairs, she hadn't wanted to give him any more of herself than she had already. With their minds so opened, Gil-galad followed her train of thought. She felt his guilt again, and send her forgiveness, asking for his in return. He granted it quickly, understanding her circumstances, and happy they could now be completely honest with each other. The King brought her into his arms, and hugged her, like he could protect her from the past. Belton talked at that moment.

"I remember you! We met at King Fingolfin's Court, before you left for Gondolin with Turgon. You used to explore and scout the new lands, and Fingolfin sent you as his agent to the Sinda." - said the Elf-Lord. Arya, staying in Gil's arms, but leaning back a bit to look at him, smiled.

"I remember you also, you were kind to me after my father died and my mother left for Thingol's Realm. I always wanted to ask you if you knew what happened to her. After the fall of Doriath, I haven't been unable to find news of her fate. I fear she died there, but I never found any evidence." - said the blonde. The older elf looked sympathetic and said:

"She survived the sack of Doriath and left after the War, with the pardon of the Valar, since she hadn't killed in Alqualonde" - explained the General. Arya nodded, feeling relieved of having that point confirmed. Back in Valinor, via the Halls or the ships, was the same to her in the end, as she couldn't see her. But she was happy that she had been spared. Gil-galad, still hugging her, touched her face and drew her gaze to him. 

"Cirdan may know more about her, he was the one who organized the return of the Exilies" - she nodded to him.

"It's alright, I'm glad that she is alive and back with my father. We will meet again" - she said. And then, trying to move things back on track - "We really need to go back to the War Room, I was supposed to fetch you there, not to distract you completely" - she laughed. Grabbing the King's arm, she turned to the perendhil, and signalled him to join them. Elrond went to their side, and she took his arm, squeezing it in apology for her silence. Elrond nodded to her, and she knew she was forgiven, but that he would want to talk her further about it. The two of them left for the room, Gil-galad said over his shoulder.

"Lord Belton, you are invited to the Council if you wish to come, we will be at the War Room"- they left before the previous discussion could resume.

* * *

Arya looked to her bonded, they were at their rooms, and Gil was still looking over the troops' movements they had argued in the council. The King had yet to decide, as some of the members of the council had advised for more defensive strategies, and others for a more forward one, which involved pre-emptive attacks and counter attacks to the orc's known stronghold. Arya was trying to keep her own preferences well inside her head, and away from the bond not to influence the Monarch more than her own opinions did. A knock came to the door, and Arya went to it, leaving the King to his conjectures. When she opened the door, she couldn't avoid the shock at the presence on the other side. Gil sensed it, and went immediately to her side, looking to their visitor coolly. 

"Lady Rínel, we weren't expecting you, is there something wrong with your father, or your rooms?" - asked the King, annoyed at the interruption. He couldn't believe that this elleth would be so bold to present herself in his rooms, without any invitation. The brunette seemed taken aback at Arya's presence, but tried to soldier on:

"I'm sorry Sire, I didn't realized that you were still working. I wanted to continue our previous conversation before my father arrived. When will you be free of work?" - asked the elleth, coyly, ignoring the Vanya next to the King. Arya looked at her, disgusted, and turned back to the room, saying over her shoulder to the King. 

"Truly Gil, you have terrible taste, I don't know how you have ever been able to touch someone like that. I can't deal with this kind of nonsense at this hour of the night. Get rid of her. Permanently." - she said, washing her hands of the whole thing. Gil-galad, who had a first-row place to her thoughts, had difficulties to contain his laughter, hearing the diatribe she had running in her head. Thinking of _shallow idiot elleth, so ambitious that she would marry an orc, if he carry a crown._ She was considering to forge a crown, and putting it in a donkey, to get rid of her. The King turned back to the elleth, who had gone alternatively red and white to the situation.

"You heard my bonded, if it has not been clear all this time, let me tell you now, madam. I have no interest in you, or any other elleth, except my bonded. I don't care for this constant harassment of me and Arya, and I won't allow it. You will leave me alone, not trying to corner me alone, or badmouthing my beloved, or I will expel you from my castle. From what I've seen, your father is aware of what is happening, and disagree with your actions, so I will risk his displeasure. " - said the King, seriously. Rínel looked at him in anger.

"You wanted me, you slept with me even after you found that blonde, and wanted me more than her. You wouldn't have been able to touch someone like me if you weren't what you are, as plain and ugly as you are, with your brutish's mother looks" - raged the brunette. Gil-galad looked at her, coolly.

"I slept with you as a distraction, because I didn't want to sully my bonded as young as she was, I didn't care about you, and knew you didn't see me as anything else than a walking Crown. It was a mistake, but it is now over. I want you away from here before tomorrow's sunset or I will have my Captain to forcefully remove you. You don't have to worry, you will never have to force yourself to touch me again" - said the King, in a voice as cold as winter. Arya had turned back to them when she heard the cruel words. And looked about to murder herself the foolish elleth. When the brunette her mouth to reply again, she overrode her.

"Think your words carefully, _onna_. I would be happy to act in consequence, if your next action is not turning back, and start to ready your departure" - threatened the blonde, looking her down with her glowing eyes. As many of the older Elda, she had a gaze which was hard to hold when she choose. Rínel wasn't the bravest of the elves, and with that, and knowing that her father wouldn't support her in this, turned back in tears and left.

Arya went to the door and closed it softly. Gil seemed frozen at the doorway, trying to assimilate the harsh words said. The blonde went to him, without a word, and started to kiss him passionately, surrounding his neck with her arms, sharing her love, admiration, wanting of him, through the bond. Gil seemed to breathe suddenly at that, and looking down to her, returned her kisses intensely. As usual, their touches warmed quickly, and Gil pushed her against the door, crowing her with his body. Arya answered enthusiastically at this, and pushed her body against him, feeling his arousal and aching, both through the bond, and in his body. She touched him, his back and chest, while returning his embrace. Gil also pressed her against the door, enclosing her with his body, with one arm around her waist and the other on the back of her head. He left his mouth to go lower, and reached her neck. Arya tilted her head back at this, with a gasp, and said.

"Let's go to your room. I want to erase every word she had said today, and every touch she did before" - said the Vanya. Gil looked at her solemnly, and picked her up in his arms without another word, taking her to his bedroom, where she made good of her promises. They spent the night getting to know each other and making the other forget all previous lovers. It was long before they feel sleep, exhausted, in each other's arms.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Onna: creature. I'm using this as an insult here. Arya is using it contemptuously.


	3. The sting of jealousy Part 3. Conclusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gil-galad and Arya have reached a balance in their personal relationship. Now they only need to plan the wedding. At least, that's what their subjects think, Gil-galad would love that they allowed him to ask first!

"She is right about one thing" - mused Gil-galad, looking down to his chest, where Arya had settled comfortably. As tall as the blonde was, she was still smaller than him, and Gil-galad was much broader than her slender form. With his Noldor constitution besides her Vanya one, he could have her fully on top of himself, without feeling uncomfortable. Arya seemed to enjoy this position, and had settled with her chin on top of her folded arms, looking down to him.

"I'm sure that, among all her foolish thoughts, one or two should be right, even if only by chance" - observed the blonde, raising her eyebrows in question. 

"I'm not a handsome elf, there is many better looking than me, and if it wasn't for my position, I wouldn't have met any of you" - said the King.

"That's ridiculous, the kind of elleth you would have certainly not attracted, would have been those like Rinel, who only want your Crown. We would have met anyway, I will remember you that our bond is one of the fëa. We would search for each other's souls for eternity, if necessary, over death and distance. As we did. I was born and dead, without we meeting, and I came back just in the right position to find you, doesn't that tell you something?" - asked the blonde. And continued - "As for handsome, I would thank you that you don't compare my tastes and opinions to that onna, I think I showed you how desirable I found you. The bond leaves little place to hide it anyway, but I can show you again if you wish" - she smiled, inviting him to join her in her merry mood. He had to smile at her attitude, and drew her up with his hand in her face, to kiss her. They kissed for a few minutes, lazily, not yet ready for a second (third, fourth?) round, but enjoying the closeness. After, Arya resettled in his chest, hugging him close and placing her head above his heart, listening to it. Gil-galad hugged her close and caressed her golden hair, wondering of its colour.

"I'm not surprised that Feanor asked for a strand of Galadriel's hair, and I think yours is even more golden. Do you look much like your father?" - asked the King, musingly.

"Both of my parents are blonde. Both of Finwë's daughter took after his wife, Indis of the Vanyar. But my hair was indeed particularly golden, that's why my mother called me Glorfindel. It had always been my more commented feature" - smiled the Vanya, and with a bit of dark humour - "The Barlog was fascinated also, as he grabbed it at the end" Gil-galad seemed torn between amused and horrified at this last part.

"That was certainly bad luck in your part, I'm surprised that you didn't cut it short the moment you came back and got your memories returned... wait a moment, was that the reason Elrond found you with a pair of scissors six years ago? It was then when you recovered your memories?" - asked the King, thinking back. 

"Maybe? You know teenagers, it's such a crazy age. It could have been anything" - said the blonde, not wanting to remember that moment, so very low to her. Gil-galad seemed to realize this, and touched her cheek, drawing her eyes to his. Arya sighed then, and admitted:

"Yes, that was the time I remembered. I was with Elrond supervising the festivities for the _Tarnin Austa_ when suddenly I wasn't there, but back to Gondolin, that last night. I think I scared Elrond, and he might have suspected something, as intuitive as he is, but I passed it off as I didn't remember what had happened and he had no choice to believe me." - answered the blonde. The King seemed deeply disturbed and asked aloud to no one in particular.

"Why didn't he say anything to me? Especially after we find you trying to hack off your hair? That should have been a clue of your identity, I can't believe both of us were so blind." - wondered the Monarch. Arya looked away at this, wordless. Gil-galad seemed to answer himself at this. - "I was with that Sinda at that time, wasn't I. Neither of you were talking to me. I remember now that you drew away from my touch, as it burned you, and Elrond hurried up to take you away from my presence. That was when you decided you wouldn't tell me who you really were. I'm surprised you didn't tell Elrond" - stated the King, resigned to this, knowing it was his fault, but curious at this last point.

"I didn't want to put him in that position Gil. Regardless of how fond he may be of me, he is your friend and loyal subject, first and foremost, even when he disagrees with your decisions. He wouldn't have kept that secret from you, but I believe that it would have torn him to betray my trust in that circumstances." - said his bonded, thoughtfully, having obviously debated this point with herself before. Gil-galad looked torn at this too.

"I'm sorry you didn't have someone to trust. I didn't realize that you had been so isolated here. All those you might trust, answer to me first" - said the King, worried. Arya smiled at this and answered.

"It's a moot point now, Gil. We are in each other's head fully now. I can't have serious, or long term, secrets with you or you with me. If I want to overthrow you and put my horse as the next High King, you will be the first to know" - observed the Vanya. Gil-galad laughed at the picture. And kissed her again, just because he could. A stray thought crossed his mind then and, as promised, Arya intercepted it. 

"Oh, Gil. By the customs of the Noldor, both at Valinor and here, that is also a moot point. You should remember your subjects of it." - observed the Vanya.

"You are right, of course, but I believe that they are hinting for a ceremony to celebrate. It has been a long time since we had a party like that and, as far as I know, no High King have married here at Middle Earth"- observed the King, as he had thought that Arya would know that he wanted to propose before he did. And it had become true.

"They haven't. Uncle Feanor and Fingolfin were already married before they reached these shores. And Finno and Maedhros married in secret when he was Crowned Prince" - observed the blonde, and continued the short list - "Turgon was also married and widowed by then. So you would be the first, Valar protect us" - swore the blonde, aware of the pomp of that kind of occasions. The King looked down to her and asked her:

"Even if it's a moot point now, is this something you want? I don't know what I would do if this is not something you want..." - started the King, Arya put a hand over his mouth before he talked himself into something absurd.

"I'm here for the whole thing Gil, I know that it won't always be easy but I take you as you are, the good, the bad and the Crown. What about you? I'm not exactly a delicate Court Lady, and am more likely to cut off your enemies than sew you some robes" - observed the blonde warrior. Gil-galad smiled at this and answered her.

"I want you exactly as you are. Helping me to rule, and hacking off my enemies by my side. I don't think the Valar sent you back here to sew my clothes, and my seamstress would probably feel neglected" - observed the Monarch. Arya smiled at this and kissed him in thanks. Gil-galad then turned around in the bed, searching at his side-table for a small box. Arya looked at him surprised, in quiet wonder. Her bonded relocated then to their former position and opened the box for her, offering it without more ceremony. Inside it, as expected, there were two sets of beautiful rings, in silver and white gold, with a blue stone in the centre on one, and a golden one in the other. Arya looked up to him and said:

"You had this before we confirmed our bond together, I would have known it otherwise" - the King smiled delightedly.

"I have them done after I met you. To be prepared" - confirmed the King. 

"Celebrimbor made this, I recognize his style. They're beautiful" - said the blonde, picking up the smaller one, with the blue stone, as her bonded's eyes. She offered it back to the King, and said:

"Put it on then, so it's official"- said the Vanya with tears in her eyes. The King took the ring and put it delicately at her finger. He then took the other one, with the golden stone, as his bonded's hair, and hold it up for her. Arya put it in his finger. They looked to each other in silence for a moment, overwhelmed at the ritual, that none of them had expected to ever complete, until they started to kiss again, to celebrate it long into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Onna: creature  
Tarnin Austa: “Gates of Summer”, the time when Gondolin fell


	4. Here at last, at the shores of the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arya arrives back home. It's not the welcome she expected or hoped for. Gil-galad tries to knock some heads together when he discovers someone trying to turn his bonded away.

Arya looked to the doors in front of her, she hadn't been at this place for over three ages, after she left Valinor with the rest of the Exiles. The Royal Palace, and current residence of her uncle Arafinwe, King of the Noldor. Taking a deep breath, she geared herself up and crossed the imposing doors. Inside the Palace, while she looked around she was intercepted by a guard. 

"My lady? What brings you here?" - asked the guard. Arya looked at him curiously, wondering how old he was. She didn't remember him from her life before, when she visited her grandfather with her parents, but that didn't tell her anything. 

"I'm looking for someone, I was told he lived in here" - answered the blonde. The guard looked uncomfortable and said.

"You can't enter here if you are not invited madam, It's the residence of the King and his family" - informed the guard.

"The King is my uncle and this is my grandfather's Palace. The elf I'm looking for is my bonded and I've just returned from Middle Earth" - informed the blonde, starting to lose patience with all this. Her suspicions were starting to show accurate, as she had heard that Arafinwë had renounced those who had gone into exile, and didn't want any to do with them, including those who were his own family, except for his children, of course.

"I'm sorry, your uncle?" - the guard seemed to look at her with more attention, and said - "Princess Laurefindel?" - asked the elf, looking at her in wonder.

"Do we know each other?" - asked the blonde, surprised now, trying to remember where she could have seen this elf.

"I saw you, a long time ago. I used to serve King Finwë, and knew most of the Royal family by sight" - answered the elf. Arya nodded to this and said:

"I'm using my mother's name now, Arya. Can I enter now you know who I am?" - asked the Vanya again.

"I'm sorry, my Princess, but King Arafinwë had banned all those not from his family, or personally invited by him, from the palace" - Arya looked coolly to the palace interior, like she could reach her foolish uncle with her hot gaze. She looked back to the other, trying to not to spill her anger into this guard, who wasn't guilty of the orders he followed.

"And I'm not family?" - asked the blonde

"Direct family my lady, his wife and children" - answered the guard, carefully.

"I see. Very well. My bonded is still inside, Ereinion Gil-galad, apparently my uncle still consider _him_ family. Can someone take a message to him?" - she asked, after some deep breaths. The guard looked even more miserable.

"I don't think so, the King doesn't want any contact with the Exiles and his family" - answered the elf. Arya looked at him, expressionless.

"And does those living here know and agree to this norm?" - asked the warrior, starting to regret ever had come back here.

"I don't know Princess, I'm not privy of the royal's private conversations" - answered the elf. Arya looked back to the palace, feeling the crushing pain she had been trying to hold at bay since he arrived at the shores of Tol Eressea, and didn't find Gil there, to start to drive into her soul. She nodded to the other elf in thanks, despite the crushing news, and turned away leaving the palace, unable to muster the strength for another word.

* * *

"...therefore, your majesty, I'm renouncing to my position from this moment on." - said the guard, gravelly. Gil raised his head, surprised out of his somnolence. Finarfin had been trying to interest him into a governance position, by forcing him to assist to this Court sessions since he had been reborn and put under his guardianship as a reborn child. Now, three centuries after, he was again grown up, and able to make his own decisions, and had been dodging this responsibility as much as he could. After the dangers and pitfalls of his reign in Middle Earth, he found the responsibilities here in Aman... well frankly boring. This unexpected resignation was the most interesting situation he had heard of in this room in _years_.

"Renounce? Why Calandur? You have been a loyal guard to my family since my grandfather's reign." - asked the King surprised. The guard looked sad and uncomfortable, but he took a look to Gil-galad, who looked back to him surprised, and seemed to find some courage.

"I was forced to do the most horrible thing to someone today, your Majesty, under your orders... the look on her face, I'm afraid for her now, and I can't live with myself if I don't try to find her before something can happen to her. And I can't bear the thought of doing something like that to some else again. King Finwë would have been so ashamed of me, and furious, for having treated one of his beloved grandchildren like that." - the elf was almost in tears at this. Gil-galad was confused, but growing quickly alarmed at this news. He saw Finrod looking to his father in suspicion, while Finarfin was starting to look enlightened.

"One of Finwë's grandchildren? the look of her face?" - Finrod clever mind was furiously working on his family tree. Finarfin tried to stop this, while Eärwen also, started to look at him suspiciously.

"It's obviously nothing important. Leave Calandur, if this is how you feel, I can see now where your loyalties are, I'm disappointed that you would feel like this after all this time and what happened" - said the King, trying to usher the guard away, former guard now. But Finrod raised his hand, and looked back to his father.

"I have only two female cousins, Aradhel, I know for a fact, is still in the Halls." - Gil raised from his seat at this, reaching the same conclusion as his cousin. - "What have you done to Glorfindel, Calandur? and under your orders Atto? I want an explanation at once" - said the blonde, with all the authority his time as King in Middle Earth had given him.

"So do I. I want to know what you have done to my _wife_" - said Gil-galad, having raised from his seat, went to his cousin's side, looking towards the King and guard, in rage. His own authority as High King was clearly visible to anyone

"Wife?!!" - asked several voices around. Finarfin looked even more disturbed at this, and got up from his seat, at the King's throne.

"Wife. Arya is my fated bonded, we got married after she returned from the halls to Middle Earth. A return, by the way, who was determined by the Valar. She was one of the elves who was a shorter time in the halls, next to you, cousin. The Valar counted her valour and defence of the innocents, as something extraordinary. And she was sent into another mission to Middle Earth, to help us against Sauron's darkness, a mission she has spent two ages archiving, despite her own wishes and all she had already sacrificed. Are you telling me that you have done something to one under the Valar's favour? To my wife and bonded? to your own niece?" - asked the former High King. At that moment, all the present were able to see, if they had ever doubted, the elf who had defied Sauron's malice and darkness, and held him at bay for the longest stretch of peace that any King had hold in Middle Earth. Even Finarfin seemed unable to hold his livid gaze. Eärwen tried to shed some light on the matter.

"Ara, what is happening? You knew, at once, what were Calandur's orders. What have you done?" - asked the silver-haired princess of the teleri, and Queen to Finarfin's people.

"I did what it was right, and banned those murderers from my presence, so they couldn't hurt my family again or taint my father's name again." - exclaimed the King, righteously.

"Banned! My cousins? From their family's Home?" - asked Finrod pointedly, and continued - "As for murderers, why I'm here then? I rebelled as much as my cousins and went into exile with them, and my uncle" - observed the blonde. His father looked at him beseechingly. 

"You didn't kill kin! You didn't kill at Alqualonde" - said the King, almost out of arguments, but trying to hold on.

"I arrived late, and neither did Glorfindel killed anyone there, as she arrived with us, when all was finished, if that's your argument" - said the younger, quickly as a predator ripping into its prey. Finarfin looked to his son, openmouthed, unable to summon other reasons at this. Eärwen spoke up again, looking at her husband in disbelief.

"Ara, how could you? your family?" - asked the Queen, with tears in her eyes.

"They are not my family, they hurt you, killed your people. I don't have any family, only you and our children" - said the King, almost hysterical.

"Oh, Ara. It was an awful mistake, and they have paid for it, some are still paying for it like your brothers, and many of their children. I was angry and hurt at the start, and I wanted reparations from them, but I never wanted for you to renounce to your family. They are my family too. And Nerdanel and Anairë's, and they had been my friends, I could never hate their children or husbands even without you." - exclaimed the Queen. Finarfin seemed unable to talk at this, Gil-galad decided that he had lost too much time already, and turned to the guard who had started this.

"Calandur, I'm going to find my wife, would you accompany me outside while I get my horse, and told me all that happened?" - he asked, getting off the dais, and starting for the door. Finrod followed his cousin also, without any further word for his father. The guard nodded and followed after them.

"I'm going also, this is my cousin too, and I want to help" - said the blonde. Finarfin tried to recall his son and former ward.

"Ereinion! Findarato! You can't leave, you can't go after that... " - he trailed off. Findarato, without breaking his stride, said over his shoulder.

"That what Atto? Cousin? Family? beloved friend? someone who crossed the Ice with me, and helped me to survive it? someone who fought side by side with me on Middle Earth?" - he shot out to the King, while exiting the audience room. Both cousins left the room and turned right towards the stables, followed by the guard. Gil didn't even bother to answer the King.

* * *

"Tell me all you know" - ordered the Crown Prince, before Gil could.

"I don't know much, your highness, and I don't know where she went after she left. But I will tell you what I know, and maybe that will give you a hint of where she has gone." - started the guard - "She entered the palace, three hours ago, and looked around. She looked familiar, and I went to her. She claimed that she wanted to find someone here, her bonded. I told her that only the royal family and those he invited here could enter. She admitted then, that she was the King's niece, and I recognized her then as I have been Finwë's guard long ago. But I couldn't let her pass, the King had been very strict with his instructions, only his wife and children were allowed in the Palace. As his former guard, you were counted too" - he said to Gil, anticipating his question, Gil nodded to this - "She went blank at this, but she asked to send you a note"- he indicated Gil - "I couldn't do that either, the King had forbidden any contact with the Exiles." - again, to Finrod - "He didn't count his own children as those Exiles" - he then seemed to doubt, and Gil, fearing the rest, asked

"And, what did she said then?" - he asked.

"She asked if those living at the palace were aware of those rules, and agreed with them, my lord"- stammered the guard, grieved. Gil looked gutted at this and said.

"I didn't know, I wouldn't have stayed at a place where my wife wasn't welcomed if I had known this" - he whispered. The guard seemed torn at this.

"I'm sorry my lord, I didn't know, I tell her that I didn't know, what any of you knew. She didn't say anything further and left, but the look on her face...I couldn't stand it, my lords, every minute I remembered it, King Finwë's face came to my mind, and I couldn't stand the thought of what he would say about this, I needed to find her, to make sure she was alright" - finished the guard. Gil and Finrod looked to each other at this, trying to think of somewhere she could have gone.

They asked the grooms at the Palace, who had taken care of her horse, and seen her go. They said that she had seemed grim but calm and that she had turned east. Unfortunately, that left a lot of possible locations. 

"Back to Tol Eressea?" - proposed Finrod. But Gil denied his head. 

"I don't think so, she wouldn't want to burden Elrond and Celebrian with this, until she considered it settled. I'm figuring that Elrond came with her, and he and Celebrian and have recently reunited. She wouldn't want to intrude into them, or she would have allowed them to accompany her here. I wish she would have done that" - he said.

"Her family? Her father, at least, is back from the halls, and with his family near the Taniquetil" - asked the guard. Finrod and Gil looked to each other, at loss.

"I don't believe she would have known this if she has just returned, and she must have, or we would have heard about it, she hasn't gotten the time to ask around for much. And Celebrian probably wouldn't have known, as she has little contact with those outside the island, as she didn't want to join the Court until her husband arrived. She didn't even know about this rule from Arafinwë, or she would have warned Arya..." - Gil-galad trailed off at a sudden thought.

"My lords?" - asked one of the grooms, shyly. The three of them turned back to him and nodded him to continue.

"I'm sorry my lords, after we returned the lady her horse, I stayed around a bit, I have never seen a horse so beautiful as her, and so loving. She stopped to talk to him, and I couldn't help to hear what she told him". Finrod and Gil looked to each other and signalled the elf to keep his tale. - "She said to him, that if they wouldn't let her see her bonded, she would take it to a higher authority. I'm sorry my lords, I don't know who she meant, who would be a higher authority than the King?"

"The Taniquetil... the Valar. Long ago, when we almost separated because I was... because I was being an idiot, Arya said that she would go to the Valar to ask for our bond to be broken if I was an idiot like that again. At the time, she thought that I regretted our bond and didn't want her" - explained the former King to his shocked cousin. 

"And you think that she may go to the Valar for this? Not Ingwë? he would be a High authority, and he is her grandfather" - asked the blonde, already turning his horse into the Mountain way. The peak, the tallest of all Valinor, was impossible to miss and was easily seen from their position. The three elves galloped in its direction.

"I don't believe so. It would turn into a fight, if Ingwë intervened, elf against elf, if your father keeps his posture, and no one of us would want that. But If she couldn't reach me, wouldn't she go to a higher authority than an elven King? And you said it before, she was favoured by the Valar, she was reborn and sent to Middle Earth, and she has, or had, similar powers to a Maia. I think that Manwë, or at the very least his Maias, would listen to her. Even if she wasn't there, maybe someone there can tell us where to find her" - he said, urging his horse onwards and faster.

* * *

They reached Manwë's halls and looked around awed. Not even Finrod, who belonged to the royal family and had been born at the Age of the Trees, had even been there. The poor guard, never having expected anything like this, was mute. Gil looked impressed, but too worried about Arya to leave it paralyze him. He dismounted his horse, and looking around for someplace to send him, exclaimed in surprise

"There! That's an elven horse" - he pointed the beautiful white horse who had been gracing a few meters away and now, raised his head to look them in curiosity. Gil went to him quickly, seeing the decorated headstall. He approached him, speaking soothingly and the noble horse, leave him to get close. He looked to the decorations, and noticed the small golden flower in them. - "He is Arya's. That's the symbol of her house" - and looking further on the other side - "And mine, that's my crest. Arya started to decorate her horses' headstalls with both of our emblems after we got married" - he exclaimed, with tears in his eyes, at the proof that Arya hadn't renounced to them, despite the time passed. He touched the beautiful horse's head in thanks, and the animal, maybe sensing some of what was happening, allowed him the touch, calmly, and nudged him back.

Gil and Finrod looked around, leaving the guard in charge of the horses, much to his relief. They started for the huge doors to the Palace, white and imposing, on the top of the highest mountain in Valinor. They had spent most of the remaining day reaching it. Now they were there, they went to the doors, who opened at their approach. They looked to each other surprised, and Gil went first into the hall, followed closely by his blonde cousin. They stopped then at the entrance hall. This entrance was impressive, in white marble, with two spiral staircases, who converged on a beautiful balcony on the second floor. The walls, those not occupied by huge windows, floor to ceiling, were covered with beautiful tapestries, depicting the ages of the world, from the formation, with the music of the ainur to many other scenes such as the creation of the Trees or the awakening of the elves. Gil-galad and Finrod looked at them impressed, so in awe of them, that they didn't notice the arrival of the Maia.

"It's an amazing work, made by an incredible artist, along the years. Prince Findaráto, former King of Nargothrond, Prince Ereinion Gil-galad, former High King of the Noldor on Middle Earth, what brings you to Manwë's Halls this evening?" - asked Eönwë from behind them. Both elves turned to the Herald of the Elder King. Gil hadn't seen him since the Numenóreans had first left Middle Earth, with Elros as their King, to reach their promised island, two ages ago. He looked as he remembered him, tall, imposing with silver-blonde hair and violet eyes. Cool and imperturbable. He deeply enervated the former High King then, as he did now again. Finrod bowed to the Maia

"My Lord Eönwë, I'm sorry for our intrusion. We were looking for my cousin and Ereinion's wife and bonded, Princess Laurefindel. She was mistakenly turned away at the Palace, and we believe that she may have come here?" - asked the blonde, all politeness and diplomacy. Gil-galad decided to leave him talk for now, and bowed with him.

"Laisi, yes, she arrived here a few hours ago. Distressed. She asked for help" - said the Maia. Gil looked aggrieved at this description, but didn't miss the epessë.

"Laisi? And help with what?" - asked the former King. Finrod tried to smooth over his curtness.

"We are very worried my lord, but grateful that she was able to reach you and find help and comfort here, I know you were friends, before" - said the blonde. Gil looked to his cousin surprised at this last comment, as he hadn't known about this friendship.

"We are friends, now and before, and I was deeply grieved at her departure and all the risks she took, first at Gondolin and then when she was reborn and sent back" - said the Maia, and turning to the dark-haired elf, added. - "She was distressed when she reached us, asking for our help to send you a message, as her uncle has forbidden this contact. She doesn't want further conflict among her kind, only to notify you of her return and leave in your hands if you want to ever see her again" - informed the Maia, coolly. He then made as to turn back.

"I want to see her!... I want to see her again, now, my lord please, can you take me to my wife?" - he asked, not caring if he had to plead to the arrogant Maia. Finrod put a hand in his shoulder, trying to calm him, and giving him his support. Eönwë turned back to him, but before he could say anything further, steps from the staircase were heard. The three males turned to it.

A blonde vision was walking down the stairs, looking to the visitors. Dressed in a white dress, with her blonde hair loose about her shoulders only braided to hold it back from her face. Her blue eyes as bright as he remembered. She looked beautiful as a dream, and Gil-galad couldn't believe that he was seeing her again with his own eyes, and not in his dreams, as he had for the last three centuries. Arya reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped a small distance from him, looking him as hopefully and scared, as he feared he was looking at her.

"Gil?" - asked the blonde while tears started to overflow from her blue eyes, Gil nodded at her and made as to reach her with his arms, with tears falling his own eyes. That was the gesture she had been waiting for, as she flew the last few steps that separated them and throw herself into his arms. With both of their arms surrounding each other, they kissed passionately, tears mixing in their mouths, while they fell from their eyes, unchecked. Arya surrounded his neck and Gil put his arms around her waist, picking her up and setting her flush against his body, never wanting to let her go. Their bond, who had been muted after his death, opened up fully at their contact, communicating back and forth their happiness, fears, loneliness... all they had been feeling up until this moment. 

They would have probably stayed flushed to each other for a long time... unfortunately they weren't alone or in private. A few throats cleared themselves around them, Arya put her forehead to her bonded and they both looked around without separate.

"That was an education" - commented their blonde cousin, smiling happily. Arya snorted a laugh at this. Gil lowered her to the floor, and surrounded her shoulders with his arm, turning back to the Crown Prince. 

"Findaráto, it has been a long time since I saw you last. I'm glad to see you this well, back here with your family" - commented the blonde to her cousin.

"Laure, you have to know that none of us knew what my father had ordered, until this evening. I consider all of you my family, and I would have never accepted to renounce to any of my cousins." - pledged the Crown Prince. Arya looked at him gravelly and asked.

"I don't understand Inglo, I can't be the first and only of our family who has been returned from the Halls, and I'm certainly not the only elf among those who followed us to Belerian who has been reborn. Where are the others? is your father only King to those he deigns worthy? what about the others? to whom do they answer to? and where are they living? Is he trying to provoke those elves into another revolution?" - asked the blonde, worried. A deep voice, deep as time, solemn and warm, resounded then from behind them.

"That is something we would like to know too" - Manwë Súlimo, The Elder King, King of Arda, appeared at the top of the stairs. Gil-galad looked at him voiceless, while Finrod bowed his head. He was much taller than an elf, with flowing white hair down to almost his feet, but which flowed around him instead of falling down straight like a wind was continuously playing with it. Ha had ice blue eyes, who seemed to have the light of the stars in them, you could lose yourself looking into them, trying to follow the twinkle of the lights inside. He flowed down the stairs in a smooth movement until he was before them, Arya and Gil bowed their heads to him, and Eönwë stepped back, staying behind his right shoulder as his faithful second.

"Your Majesty. I'm sorry again for having disturbed you, here at your home. I didn't understand and didn't know where to turn, and Lord Eönwë was a friend of old, and I figured that my uncle couldn't turn away a message from him" - said Arya to the mightiest of the Valar. Manwë looked down to her, kindly, and reached down to them, raising hers and Gil-galad heads with a hand under their chins. 

"You weren't a bother. You have served faithfully to me and took many risks to help those in Middle Earth, without expecting any reward except for the safety and wellbeing of those living there. No one could have asked more from you, and now you have returned, the only thing you have asked for, has been to be allowed to see your own bonded, who had been away from you for an Age. While you kept working on the mission that we assigned you. What happened at the King's Palace was a travesty. No one has the right to judge again those who had been forgiven and released from Mandos' Halls. No one has the right to divide a family. No one has the right to separate those bonded by Eru's will. No one has the right to impede you into your own family home. And no one can claim to be King if they are renouncing over half of their subjects or their families" - sentenced the Elder King. Finrod and she looked to each other's alarmed. Last time the Valar had made this kind of proclamation, this serious, it had been a doom for the Noldor. 

"For my part, I'm back with my bonded, and husband and I'm happy" - started Arya, and hesitated, looking at her other cousin "I'm still worried about the others. About those still to return, and those who have already come back and were turned away. How many of those who crossed to Belerian have returned?" - asked the Vanya. Eönwë answered as he was reading from a report:

"Five hundred twenty thousand four hundred and seventy-two have returned from Mandos, most of them dwell at Tol Eressea, although some have returned to family dwellings, those who have remaining family there." - say the Maia. Arya nodded her head and asked to Finrod.

"And those who stayed at the island, do this because they want it or because they had no choice? Are returned elves allowed to reintegrate? to find new jobs or return to their former ones?" - Finrod denied with his head and admitted.

"I don't know cousin, I haven't seen anyone" - answered the blonde.

"But what have you been doing all these years then!" - exclaimed the blonde, starting to get angry. 

"I don't have any excuse, I've been doing a poor job as Prince of my people, haven't I? I never expected this and I wasn't ready as Nelyo and even Finno were." - admitted the younger elf, ashamed. - "I was King in Belerian, and attend to my people, but when I came back here, I was lulled by the peace of Aman, and thought that our people were safe, and didn't have any problems, and allowed my father to filter the meetings and information he wanted me to see."

The others looked to each other uncomfortable. Gil had believed, as Finrod, that this world was a peaceful one, and trusted that the current King and his Counselors were dealing with the everyday troubles, which were obviously nothing that important. He felt foolish and naive, although probably not as much as his cousin who had lived here before and should have been aware that not even the peace of Aman was perfect. Arya felt tired, she also had hoped for some peace and calm in this blessed lands and forgotten over the years fighting in Middle Earth, that had been here, in this sacred lands, that the death and war had started, officially, the first time around.

"Young ones, Anar is going to his rest, and Isil will soon rise in his place. You are all welcome here to rest. Tomorrow will be soon enough to untangle this, my wife and I invite you all, and the friend you left at our doors, to rest here and break your fast tomorrow with us" - intervened Manwë again, signalling Eönwë - "Eönwë, take care of our guests, and came to me after" - asked the Vala, leaving the entry Hall, climbing the stairs. The Maia bowed to the Vala, and turned to them, waving them inside.

"One of my brothers is taking care of your friends outside, follow me, I will lead you to your rooms where you will be supplied with food and rest until tomorrow" - the Maia started for the stairs, while the three elves follow him, Arya and Gil keeping their hands linked.

* * *

"You can rest here, food will have been brought here by my brothers, if you need something, Ilia will be at hand here" - he nodded to another Maia in the hallway. Arya nodded to this and took his hands, squeezing them in thanks.

"Thank you, Eönwë, I'm sorry that we had brought this kind of trouble, once again, into your halls. My family is unable to do things small" - said the Vanya, with the familiarity given from a long friendship. Eönwë had been a friend of her childhood, and she had loved him as dearly as a brother.

"I'm glad you had us to turn Laisi, I'm afraid to think of you alone in the state you came to us" - retorted the Maia, offering his other hand to the former King. Gil took it into his. - "Allow me now, to offer my blessings and utter happiness for your bonding and reunion. I wish you a happy and peaceful life" - declared the silver-haired male, kissing both of their foreheads in blessing. Gil was surprised by this, as he had met the Maia back in Middle Earth and found him cold and unattainable. The Maia bowed to Finrod and left the hallway. Arya turned now to his other cousin.

"Inglo, I'm sorry. I'm happy to see you well and whole. I would have liked for meeting you again under other circumstances, but I would hug you now"- she went to hug her cousin. The Prince hugged her in return and say:

"You don't have to apologize here Laure, it's my father who will need to give many explanations for this, to many people. And I apologize for my inattention, who had allowed this to get this far" - he hugged her back. And finished "Now I will leave you alone, as you have been away from each other for far too long" - smiled the blonde, opening his room's door and disappearing inside. Arya and Gil smiled to each other and entered their suite.

* * *

"I've been waiting for this for far too long, I will spend the rest of the night making it up to you, but now I need to be inside you, can I take you?" - asked the former King, almost trembling from his wanting. Arya stepped back to the bed and turned to her bonded.

"I feel the same, I've been wanting you in me, from the moment I saw you at the entrance, I'm more than ready for you. Come to me now, or I will jump you" - retorted the blonde, taking off her boots and seating in the bed. Gil took off his own shoes and went to her in two strides, surrounding her with his heavier and broader body and pinning her to the bed, taking her mouth in a crushing kiss, full of passion.

Flush against each other, it was difficult to take off their clothes, but they didn't want to lose any contact. Arya pushed off Gil's shirt and took advantage of the space while he throw it away to take off her own ridding dress, staying only in a thin chemise. Gil started to kiss her again, raising the chemise only enough to access to her centre, while he opened his own breeches. As promised, once he touched her, checking that she was truly ready and he wouldn't hurt her, finding her already wet and excited, he didn't wait for much more, he took out his own length and got himself inside her in one smooth move, stretching her almost to the limit. Arya grabbed his shoulder, arching her back in response to the entrance, almost but not quite uncomfortable stretch. He stayed inside her, without moving, until she got used to the sensation, and caressed his spine pushing him to move with a hand in the small of his back. Gil rushed to completion this first time unable, once started, of slowing down after so long. Arya, took him in, relishing this kind of power and the nearness with him after so long. Gil released inside her, slumping above her, while Arya gentled him with kisses and caress to his back and hair. After a few minutes of this, he raised his head of her neck and kissed her deeply.

"I love you, melissë. The years had been bleak without you" - he uttered, raising in his elbows to see her. Arya looked up to him and smiled at him. Gil took this moment to take off his pants, and help her to pull up her chemise, so they finally could be pressed to each other without any barriers. After getting rid of all their remaining clothes, Gil returned to his previous position, while Arya used her arms around his waist to caress his back, buttocks, and everything she could reach, relearning his body, including his new skin with many missing scars. Gil kissed her again at this, and lowered his head to her chest, giving her more to touch, like a tame lion.

"I love you too, Elrond can attest that the last few weeks have been unbearable, for both of us, knowing that we would see you and Celebrian again, soon. It was terrible to get here, and being unable to get to you. I could punch my uncle for this" - she said in a pained voice. Gil kissed her breast above her heart, in consolation, and asked her:

"Where is Elrond anyway? How come that you arrived to search for me alone? He should have accompanied you" - asked the dark-haired male.

"Give him a break Gil, he hasn't seen his own wife in years. They had enough to go through with coming to terms with their daughter's decision. He would have probably come if I asked anyway, but I left at first light without telling anyone, I didn't expect so much trouble, here at Valinor." - she calmed him. Gil raised his head and asked.

"Their daughter's choice?" 

"Arwen chose mortality, she felt in love with Elros' last descendant, Aragorn, son of Arathorn and newly crowned King of Gondor and Arnor" - she explained him, remembering the last few years, the wedding and that last farewell. Elrond had been crushed after it and back to Rivendell. Erestor and she had rushed all the final preparations to travel to Valinor, afraid of his dark mood, wanting to take him away, as Rivendel was no longer a refuge for its Lord.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I want to see him again, and everyone else. To catch up with all of you again. Erestor is with you also?" - asked the former King, remembering his dark, clever assistant. Arya smiled at this

"He is, he and I have spent the last age advising Elrond together, we took turns to give him bad news" - smiled the blonde. Gil looked up again at this.

"Advising? What position did you take at Rivendel?" - asked, now as her husband, not King, in suspicion. Arya pressed his head back to her breast and kissed his brow, calming.

"I took the position I wanted Gil. After your death I was devastated, It was months before I was able to talk to people again, outside Elrond and Erestor. I didn't want any more spotlight, but I couldn't return here to wait for your rebirth, so I stayed at Elrond side, helping him. All those who had known you knew who I was but they respected my pain and decision to take a step back, particularly when Elrond declared that he wouldn't take the Crown and you would be the last High King. When we returned to Rivendel, I took the place I would have taken if we hadn't fallen in love, I was his Seneschal and Captain of Rivendel's armies. With Vilya, the position wasn't as dangerous as it could have been otherwise, and kept me busy. He did his best for me and in your memory Gil, I hope you know this" - explained the blonde, caressing his wild hair, inherited from his father, who had the most unruly hair in all Aman. Gil seemed to calm at this.

"I'm sorry Arya, I never wanted to leave you. It tortures me to think of all the time you have been back there, without me, and the pain I put you through when I died in front of you. When Sauron struck me, you were my last thought, I hoped that you would survive. When I first returned I haunted the docks of Alqualonde for news of those who crossed the sea. It took me a while until I was sure you had survived..." - Arya kissed him into silence and said

"Gil, we were at war, we both knew there wasn't any guarantee of survival for any of us. Moreover, I was very aware when I married you of the live expectance your predecessor's precedents gave you. I married you knowing all this, willingly. I have no regrets now or ever, that doesn't mean it didn't hurt when you died, but it was worth it. I knew we would meet again here, you were kind, brave and selfless, I knew Mandos would release sooner than later." - they kissed again, reassuring themselves that all their wait was over. - "That is over now, and I only want to enjoy being again with you. I think you owe me a release, don't you?" - she teased him into a lighter issue. 

Gil, feeling more than ready for a second round, decided to compensate his wife for all her patience, and started to kiss her lower and lower, while Arya held his head with her hands, caressing his hair. The dark-haired male reached her waist, still kissing her, and slowed down, teasingly nudging her around where she wanted him the most. She yanked his hair a bit in retaliation, Gil laughed softly at this, breathing on her, and she moaned in return. The former King, at least, nudged where she needed him, and started to kiss her and lick her there, in earnest, stopping his teasing. Arya arched in his mouth and kept his head where she needed him. Gil was a willing tool to his wife's pleasure, and used mouth and fingers to bring her to orgasm, and kept going. searching for her next.

* * *

"All right, debt is paid, I think you left me in your debt again after this" - muttered the blonde, with her head resting on his chest, both of them laying again against the pillows. Gil surrounded her with his arms and kissed her forehead fondly. After two more orgasms, he had propped above her and took her again, using all his pent up need to love her thoroughly, with a slow rhythm and teasing kisses. Until she climaxed again, only then he allowed himself to finish, satisfied, inside her. Now they were lying, sated, drifting into sleep.

"No debts among us, remember? we are one now again. Your pleasure is mine, I have only shown you a small part of the things I've been dreaming to do with you, since I returned from Mandos" - he explained her. 

"I see you had a fruitful time, since you returned. I approve of your planning and I can't wait to hear more about it" - laughed the Vanya, then yawned. "I'm sorry, I believe you have tired me out, I don't think I've slept in weeks. Her eyes started to unfocussed. Gil soothingly caressed her blonde hair.

"Sleep melmë, tomorrow we will take in your uncle" - he murmured into the blonde hair, following her into sleep, together, for the first time in over three thousand years.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of Arafinwë / Finarfin bashing maybe? I tried to rationalize it, but he is behaving like an idiot here. I like the guy, mostly, although I prefer any of his siblings. Hopefully he redeems himself further on.  
I had started another story for this reunion but I deleted it completely as I didn't think it fitted Gil's character. I hope this works better. I wanted a bit of angst, so Arafinwë ended being the idiot, hopefully it's enjoyable anyway.  
melissë: lover  
melmë: love


	5. There were once a fisherelf...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There were a fisherelf, and he met a blonde goddess, never being the same again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I mentioned long ago, in one of the tales of this universe, a situation with an infatuated fisherelf, so this is that story. Mostly a less serious tale, I hope after the last ones.  
This happens before the first arch, chapter 1 to 3. But not by much, Arya would be here an early sixteen (human years) in her mid-thirties probably.

Arya looked around the market in wonder, full of colourful people and many different wares from the sellers in the stalls. Used to the restrictions in the Hidden City, this market, open to people from close and far-away places, was a wonder for her. Settled in the town next to the castle, it attracted more people than a town of this size should have. But as the Palace was near, and many of its dwellers went into the town, traders from all over the Realm and beyond, converged in it. Arya had decided to come today, looking for a gift for Erestor's conception day. The dark elf had become a good friend to her over the last few months. Elrond had recommended her to visit this market, as it had many exotic things which could be a good gift for the unique assistant.

She wandered around looking for something who would be interesting and original for her friend. Some of the food stalls drew her attention and she tasted their offerings, but she needed something less perishable and kept walking. She arrived at the crafting zone and slowed down a bit, paying more attention to those stands.

The blonde looked to the closest stall in curiosity, finding the beautiful carved boxes in it interesting, as they seemed to illustrate different tales over its surfaces. Arya picked a small one with a sea motif. It seemed to describe a battle with a sea monster, Arya followed the tale, turning the box around until she found the mariner fighting the battle to slay the monster. She smiled, charmed, noticing that this was a puzzle box, and you needed to tell the right final to open it. Moving the pieces around, she slew the monster and opened the box. 

"That is a beginner box, used for children to start them in puzzles, my lady. We have more difficult ones here for you to choose from, if it pleases you" - offered a wizened dwarf, from inside the stall. Arya looked to him in surprise, and said:

"It's amazingly done, even this beginner one as you call it. The details are beautiful and I would keep it only for them, but I would like a more difficult one to gift a friend. He loves travelling and meet new people, can you think of one he would like?" - asked the Vanya. The dwarf looked pleased, and flattered, by her interest and, a good businessman, he had noticed her from the moment she entered the market. Beautiful and exotic, with her height, royal pose and signature blonde hair, she drew attention unknowingly to herself, and the dwarf was happy to keep her in his stall, bringing attention to it with her mere presence. He moved around slowly, using his age as an excuse, and picked and discarded a few puzzles, finally settling on the three more interesting ones (that he had thought of from the start) and brought them to her. He noticed satisfied that a few other buyers had strayed closer while he looked around, and were looking to his wares.

"This three, I think, have potential as a gift for your friend. This one here" - he showed the first one - "descript the first meeting between elves and dwarves, you need to pick the right gifts interchanged to open it". Arya looked surprised and pleased by this bit of history. The dwarf showed a second one - "This is quite tricky, my son did it, it shows the seven houses of the dwarfs with their main characteristics, you need to match them to open it". Arya was deeply curious at this, as she had no such knowledge to open this. The dwarf show her the last choice - "This is a map of the main Realms, you need to settle every King on their seat" - concluded the dwarf. Arya smiled delighted at this, seeing Gil's banner in the box. 

"Oh, they are wonderful, I can think of two friends at least to give one of those. They are all so clever, but I can't take them all or I won't be able to buy anything else. It's such a hard choice..." - the Vanya debated with herself, as she had felt in love with all of them, finally, leaving the first meeting of elves and dwarves, and said - " I will take the last two and this one for me" - signalling the beginner one. The dwarf nodded pleased, and after negotiating a price, left to wrap them safely and gave them to her. His stall had filled in the meantime, and he had been happy to lower the price for her, as she had brought him so much business. Unaware of his musings, Arya had been pleased to get such a nice price for her purchases, and left for the next stall. Seeing as she hadn't any source of income to draw from, she depended fully on the allowance she received from Treasury, and it wasn't that big, as she didn't have that many expenses not covered by the own palace. So she had been saving for this excursion and didn't want to expend all her savings.

She kept wandering around until she reached the stalls next to the harbour, where the sea products were placed. She had little interest in them, as she wasn't in charge of the food in the palace, so she didn't delay much in them. She was curious, however, at some stalls selling bracelets and pendants with pearls. She remembered her teleri aunt, Eärwen, who used to wear pearls when she visited the court, as a sign of her status as a princess of the sea people. These pearls were clearly smaller and of worse quality, but she was curious if they came from the same animal, as it would be a tie to her former world. She was looking to a pearl bracelet when a voice talked from behind. 

"My lady, do you like the pearls? They would look beautiful in you. I can imagine how they would look settled in your hairs as stars" - said a young elf, from a neighbouring stall which sold fish. Arya looked at him surprised by the compliment and smiled noncommittal.

"They are very beautiful" - she answered shortly, and made to keep walking, the elf, however, tried to keep talking.

"Won't you try some of them? My cousin made those, she is very talented. They would suit you wonderfully, you should try them"- he seemed to look around as to call for this cousin. Arya tried to back off from him.

"It's fine, I was only looking. I wasn't planning to buy any jewellery today as beautiful as they are. Your cousin is a fine crafter, I'm sure she will sell them shortly" - Arya started to back off from the stall, trying to put some distance with the persistent ellon. He seemed focused on keeping her there, but Arya kept walking away taking advantage of a rush of merchandise arriving to the elf stall. While he became busy trying to direct the cart, Arya vanished into one of the near side-streets and left the crazy elf behind.

Arya kept wandering around the market, just looking around now she had Erestor gift, and an extra one she was planning to give to Gil, when, as it conjured by her thoughts, she saw the King looking into one of the weapons stands. He seemed drawn to the dwarves' knives in the market. Arya hesitated to get closer to the monarch. Of late, he hadn't started any new affair, but next to him in the stall, the daughter of one of Gil's captains, was following him around, as she had for the last few weeks. Arya suspected she was trying to lure the King in. Gil didn't usually started an affair with the palace staff, as he liked to end the affairs and not have his former lovers around. They seemed short-lived and wide-spaced, and she had been able to ignore them at the start, after the first painful surprise. Once she resigned herself to the fact the King felt their bond was a mistake, she had tried to stay his friend and keep her distance otherwise. It had been difficult, as the King kept sending her mixed signals, but she tried to persevere. Elrond had been a refuge for her over the last few times the King started one of his new affairs. The half-elf was keenly emphatic and kind, even though she knew his final loyalty went to his King, and maybe he was only trying to keep her from making any scandal. She found his presence comforting anyway, and had spent some evenings in the library with him, distracting herself. He was a familiar presence to her, as his attitude and wisdom were a nice mixture of Tuor and Idril, long beloved and strongly missed friends of hers.

She was still doubting what to do, when someone placed a hand on her shoulder from behind. She turned surprised, to the owner of said hand, and recognized again the stubborn fisher elf.

"My lady, please. I have never seen an elleth like you before. You are more beautiful than the stars in the sky. You are like one of the Valar, dropped here in Middle Earth. Please, give me a chance to know you, come back with me" - begged the young elf, entranced by the Aman-born Vanya, with her exotic beauty, as he had never seen her like before. Arya was strongly tempted to break the hand which he was trying to use to drag her back to his stall.

"Sir, let go of me! You are saying nonsense and I'm not, and never have, looked anything like a Vala, that's ridiculous anyway. " - said the Vanya, irritated. This elf was, despite the appearances, made of sterner stuff, and resisted her wish to get free.

"I will invite you to the most wonderful feast! My mother will cook it, and I will cover you in the pearls my cousin harvest. You will be my sun, and moon and the queen of my heart" - exclaimed the elf, poetically. Arya was starting to wonder if she would need to break the idiot's hand to get free. The choice was made for her when a strong hand grab the one on her shoulder, forcing him to release her while another arm drew her away and into a strong chest.

"Sir, the Lady has asked you to release her. You better have a good reason to be harassing a Lady of the Realm, and my bonded" - said Gil-galad, who had noticed the commotion and gone immediately to her side when realizing the situation, abandoning the dwarves' stall and the elleth trying to draw his attention. Arya settled conformably at the King chest, happy to leave Gil to deal with the idiot, hoping that the royal presence deter this elf from further embarrassment. Around them, the rest of the King's escort and companions came closer. The fisherelf still looked too infatuated by the blonde to register the King's words.

"Your Majesty, I found this magical creature, arrived from the blessed lands into my arms. I want to bond to her, and spend the rest of eternity showering in pearls" - said the elf. Gil-galad looked torn between anger at this elf insistence to claim his bonded, and pity, as he looked quite out of his mind. He looked down to the blonde in his arms and asked, in low voice: 

"What is wrong with him? he looks like he has been enthralled" - said the King, surprised. Arya looked up to him and raised an eyebrow.

"Unless I was able to spell him just by passing by his stall, I can't start to explain this kind of nonsense. I assure you, if I had that skill, I wouldn't spend it in this idiot" - answered the Vanya, looking disgusted with the whole situation. Elrond, who had been wandering around, looking to another stall, and had wandered over them at the commotion, talked then.

"I think he is just a common ellon, my lady, and he had never seen someone like you before. You have to admit that you are an exotic beauty, and beyond the experience of those born in this shores. He is confused and probably believed himself to be in a dream, as my ancestor felt when he met Lúthien" -observed the perendhil, amused by the situation now, although he hadn't been at first when seeing the strange elf manhandling the blonde. Arya rolled her eyes at this and answered:

"I'm hardly half-maia or the most beautiful elleth in existence, as Lúthien. But I don't care the reason, as long as he leaves me alone" - concluded the Vanya, looking back to the King. Gil-galad nodded to this and signalled one of his guards.

"Take him away and try to talk sense into him. Maybe a small walk will knock some sense back in his head" - ordered the King. The guard took hold of the elf, almost dragging him away from the Vanya. They could hear his complains for a few minutes until the guard managed to drag him far enough. Gil-galad started to laugh now the elf wasn't a problem anymore.

"Is this a normal thing for you? Did you escape the Blessed Lands running from this?" - teased the monarch. Arya rolled her eyes, again, trying to put some distance now the other was out of reach and sight. Gil, however, draped an arm over her shoulders, and lead her back to the stall he had been watching before all the excitement.

"Please, like I have ever been some kind of gift to Elvenkin. Besides, it's only here that my looks are something strange, back at Tirion and near the Taniquetil, I was one among many blondes, nothing special." - observed the Vanya. Elrond smiled at her, amused.

"I've met many Noldor, and many of those in my family and Ereinion's are considered among the most beautiful in Elvenkin. I can't believe that you were ever one of many, my lady" - observed the perendhil, gallantly, although sincere. 

"Elrond is right Arya. Not that it's alright that you are accosted by strange elves, of course. But I can understand the impulse to believe you have somehow dropped from the Blessed Lands to us, like a gift" - observed the King

Arya shook her head to both of them, a bit charmed, and followed his bonded to the weapons' stall. There, they looked through the swords, axes and knives with interest. Arya picked a long knife, testing its balance. The dwarf on the stall looked her with curiosity:

"Are you interested in the weapon, my lady?" - asked the dwarf. Arya smiled to him, in question.

"Did you make this knife, master dwarf? The balance is wonderful and I wonder if I could use it for my second hand when I'm not using a shield. I think is slight enough for it. Your axes are wonderful, but I don't have the right balance to wield them." - commented the blonde. The dwarf looked pleased at her comments and looked her interested.

"You move like a warrior, even if you look as slender as a reed my lady. It would be a wonderful weapon for you if you are skilled with your other hand. I did it myself, it would hold up well for you and taste the blood of your enemies" - assured the dwarf. Arya nodded to this and reached for her pouch of money. Gil, who had kept silent up until that moment, interceded then. 

"Charge it to the Treasury master dwarf. Is a beautiful dagger and I would love to gift it to my lady" - asked the King. Arya looked to him in surprise, but accepted the gift, not wanting to argue the point with so many witnesses around. The elleth, who had been following the King around trying to draw his attention, was looking disgusted at this. Arya felt irritated by this attitude, and looked her down, until she was forced to look away, unable to hold the Elda's eyes. Gil seemed to realize the interaction and also looked to her, irritated, the elleth turned around away from them, chastised. They kept visiting the stalls, with the King attentively trying to keep with the blonde's whims.

* * *

Arya looked to her loot on top of the bed, Gil had been thoughtful and generous catering to all her wishes and some that weren't actually hers. The blonde fingered the delicate hair adornment he had gifted her with a wistful smile, remembering the beautiful jewellery her mother and grandmother used to wear at her grandfather's Court. There was something in this that brought that to mind, the delicate work and floral designs maybe, which had been part of both elleth's adornments.

She found the wrapped boxes she had originally bought, and open them to store them, until she could give them away. She was surprised to open the package, and found four wrapped items, one of them had a small note tacked to it: _I hope you enjoy this one as much as the others. It's a scene none of our races should forget_. Arya knew then what that box contained, but opened nevertheless, to the puzzle box with the first meeting between dwarves and elves. It was a generous gif and she wondered if she would see that dwarf again, to thank him in person.

A small knock sounded in her door, she went to answer it. Gil was standing at the other side, with an amused smile in his face. Arya looked at him suspiciously, strongly remembered of her cousin Findekáno when she saw him with that look.

"I don't want to know, do I?" - asked the blonde. Gil laughed at this.

"Probably. The guard I sent with your fisherelf" - _"NOT my fisher-anything"_ \- "He just returned. He managed to deliver him to his family and they have promised to keep an eye on him. He is to sail tomorrow for a long journey anyway, and hopefully will have forgotten all about you by the time he is back. But the guard said he was composing the most awful poetry by the time he left him" - commented the King. Arya rolled her eyes again, exasperated.

"Well, that's one problem less, I hope. Thank you for the information. And the rescue I suppose"- said the blonde grudgingly. Gil-galad bowed to her.

"That's why I'm here, rescue helpless damsels from infatuated mariners. Now my work is done, would you accompany me to dinner, my lady? As a sign of favour for my pains this day?" - asked the King, teasingly. Arya looked at him with a smile, always charmed by this silly side of the stern High King. 

"I would be honoured my Champion." - she took the offered arm and joined him in the way to the dining room. Closing her door behind her, and leaving her gifts in the room to be sorted later.


End file.
